Means for dissipating fog



31 P. BORRA MEANS FOR DISSIPATING FOG June 23, 1925. 1 543 3 Filed Dec 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l- I g 6 I T- attain;

June 23,1925. y 1,543,363

P. BORRA MEANS FOR DISSIPATING FOG Filed Dec. 19. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1925.

. U-NTED sTArs PAOIFICO BORRA, OF WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

. means FOR mssrrarme roe.

I Application filed December 19, 1924. Serial 1V0. 757,025.

To all wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAGIFICO Bonm, a

citizen ,of the United States, residing at;

West Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Dissipating Fog, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for dissipating fog, and for signaling between ships or between a ship and'the shore, in

foggy weather. In carrying out the invention, I provide, on the forward end of a ship, a gas tank containing gas at high pressure and a burner connected to the tank and directed forwardly of the ship, and from which a flame can be projected a considerable distance in advance of the ship. The heat of this flame will dissipate'the fog in-its immediate vicinity so that a lookout or observer stationedbeneath the burn er will have a clear vision, in advance of the ship for the distance to which the flame is extended, and I also provide a similar apparatus at the stern of the ship, with a burner pointing rearwardly, so that a flame may be projected for a considerable distance to the rear-of the ship. This flame will dissipate the fog immediately surrounding it, and for a distance back of the ship equal to the length of the flame, enabling the lookout on a following ship to see the ship in advance. Thus, where two ships are equipped withthe apparatus, and one is. in,

advance of the other, the look-out on the ship at the rear will have the'advant'age of a clear vision through the space cleared of fog by the forward flame on the following ship andthe rearward flame on the ship in advance. As a further means for dissipating fog, to enable the look-out to see in advance of the ship, I provide, immediately at the rear of the horizontal burner at the front of the ship, a gas tank containing gas under high by means of which a plurality of flames may be projected high in the air todissipate the fog from the vicinity of the forwardhorizontal burner, and also to serve as a signal to other ships. These vertical burners are connected to the same gastank, and they are controlled by independent valves, so that, if desired, one or more of the burners may be shut off and the flame from the remaining ignited burner, or burners, will the a shown at the left in Fig.2; andpressure and a plurality of burners extending vertically from the tank ship;

F"g. 3 is a top plan view of the Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4:4: of Fig.

ship or other vessel, upon the forward end of which'is mounted a suitable structure 6, for; supporting the fog-dissipating-and signahng apparatus above the upper deck of a ship, partpparatus at the forward end of the" gas tank Referring to the drawing, 0 indicates a the ship, and '0 indicates a structure for supporting fog-dissipating apparatus at the stern of the shlp.

Theapparatus at the frontofthe ship comprises an outer tank 1, open at the top,

an inner tank 2,. also open at'the top and resting upon the bottom of the outer tank, and a hell 3, extending over the inner tank and fitting gas-tight against the bottom of the outer tank.. A guide rod 4 extends upwardlythrough the bottoms of the outer and inner tanks, at their centers, and a tube,

5, in the inner tank, fits-over this rod and carries a plurality of ans 6, within which calcium carbide may e placed. A water tank 7 is mounted on an upright pipe 8, and this pipe extends below the tanks 1 and 2, thence upwardly, as shown at 8, between the tank 2 and bell 3,v and thence downwardly a short distance into the inner tank 2, as shown at 8*. The upper end of the pipe 8is closed by a cap 8. A branch pipe 8 connects thepipe 8 with the lower I part ofthe water tank, and a valve 9, is provided in this branch for admitting? or cutting as the supply of water. from the water tank to the pipe 8. The bell 3 is held firmly in its place by metal bars 10, detachably secured to the wall of the outer tank 1 and extending over the top of the bell. Bytaking off the bars, the bell may be removed and the tube 5, with the pans 6 attached, may then be removed when it is desired to empty the latter, a T being provided on the top of the tube and serving as a handle for lifting the tube and pans.

When water is admitted from the water I tank throu h the pipe 8 to the tank containing the car ide, it will be evident that acetylene gas will be generated. 'By opening the valve 9, 'a quantity of water sufficient to cause the generation of a large quantity of gas may be admitted, and the valve 9 may then be closed. This as, at high pressure, will fill the bell and t e upper part of the tank 2 The outer tank or casing 1 is provided as a safety device, to divert any gas escaping from the bell upwardly.- This A' blow-off pipe 12 extends through the,

top of the bell and is controlled b a valve 13, which may be operated by a cor or chain 14, extending to a point where it may be easily reached by the look-out who will be stationed in a crows nest g, conveniently mounted at the front of the supporting structure 6. This valve may be opened to relieve the pressure in the bell when desired.

A pipe 15 extends through the top of the belland'thence forwardlyofthe ship for a suitable distance and is provided at its forward end with-a suitable burner 16.. The flow of gas through this pipe is controlled by a valve 17, which may be operated by a cord or chain 18, extending to a oint where it may be conveniently reache by the lookout. For igniting the gas, a suitable electric igniter, indicated conventionally, at 19,

is arranged adjacent the end of the burner and is connectedto a battery 21 by conductors 22 and 23, the latter containing a. switch 24-which may be operated by the look-out from his position in the crow s nest.

In the operation of the apparatus thus far described, assuming the ship to be surrounded by a dense fog, the operator will pull the chain 18, opening the valve 17, and gas will" v be projected at high velocity through the pipe 15 and burner 14, in advance of the vessel. By closingthe switch 24, this gas will be i ited and a flame, the length of which an depend upon. the gaspres'sure, will be pro'ected horizontally in advance of the ship; This intensel hotflamewill dis sipate the fog in the vicinity of the flame,

throughout its length and .for some distance i beyond, owing to the heat which is carried forward from the end of the flame. Through this space which is cleared by the flame, the look-out will have a clear vision which, of course, enables him to see an object in advance, such as another ship, sooner than he would if the flame were absent. 3

Immediately at the rear of the apparatus just described for projecting a forward flame, is a gas generating plant e, the same in all respects as the plant previously described. On the bell 3 of this latter plant are mounted three vertically arranged burners 25, 26 and 27, controlled by valves 28,

29, and 30, respectively, these valvesbeing operable, respectively, by cords or chains 31, 32, and 33,-extending to points adjacent the crows nest. An igniter 34 is arranged adjacent one'of the burners and connected by wires 35and 36 to a battery 37 a switch 38 being arranged in the wire 36 at apointconvenientto the look-out.

It will be evident that if the three valves, 28, 29, and 30, are opened and the burner 27 g is ignited by closin the switch 38, "the other twoburners will e ignited by reason of their proximity to the first mentioned burner. It will also be .evident that when the three valves are opened, the flames will be projected vertically to a height dependent u on the gaspressure, and that if say two 0 the valves-are closed, putting out two of the burners, the flame of the other burner will be projected much higher than'before by the gas pressure. Ordinarily, when the forwardly extending burner 16 is ignited, in a thick fog, the several burners 25, 26, and 27 will also be ignited and these will dissipate the fog in the vicinity of the look-out. As the look-out will have his back turned to these burners and will be shielded from the direct glare of the burners by the forward tank and supporting apparatus, the flame will not interfere with his vision-forward.

At the rear of theEship, the apparatus indicated at f, in Fig. 1, is the. same in all res sets as the apparatus shown at the right inig. 2, but the burner 39 extends rearwardly from the gas generatin a paratus so as to project a flame rearwar y rom the ship. This apparatus is intended to be kept constantly burning during heavy fogs and its functlon is as a signal to other ships,

and also toclear the atmosphere of fog for a distance at the'rear of the ship equal in length to the flame pro'ected, or to such further distance as the eat of the flame may be projected. If a followingship having a forward burner, enabling the look-out to see ahead of the ship for the distance which is cleared by the forward flame, a preaches a ship in advance, the rearward y projected flame on the latter ship will clear the fog-for a distance equal to the length of the latter flame, and the look-out or observer will be enabled to see the forward ship sooner than if the ships were without the burners.

What I claim is:

1. The combination a't the'forward end of the shipfor projecting a flame forwardly, and means immediately at the rear of said first mentioned means for projecting a flame upwardly.

2. The combination with a ship and gas producing means, of burners at the forward end of the ship for projecting a flameforwardly, and burners immediately at the rear of said means for projecting a plurality of fl flames upwardl 3. The combination with a ship and gas producing means, of burners at the forward with a ship, of means' end of the ship for projecting a flame forwardly, burners immediately at the rear of said means for projecting a plurality of flames upwardly, and means for independently controlling the flow of gas to said latter burners.

4. The combination with a ship, of means at the forward end of the ship for projecting a flame forwardly, means, immediately at the rear of said first mentioned means, for projecting a flame upwardly, and means at the rear end of the ship for projecting a ame rearwardly.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

PACIFICO BORRA. 

